In an appearance this morning on Jan Mickelson’s Des Moines-based radio show, Michele Bachmann appeared to call for the repeal of Medicare, federal the health-care service for the elderly, and other large federal welfare programs.

Bachmann, a Republican presidential candidate, called the welfare programs enacted in the mid-1960s under the “Great Society” — which include Medicare, Medicaid, and expansions to Social Security and the federal food stamp program — a “multi-trillion-dollar experiment and failure.”

“That’s part of what I want to repeal is the failed trillions and trillions of dollars in the welfare state that aren’t doing our country any good,” Bachmann said.

The “Great Society” programs enacted by Democratic congresses and President Lyndon Johnson in the 1960s addressed everything from social welfare and civil rights to education and the arts, substantially increasing the role of the federal government in American life.

The most significant of those programs, though, was Medicare, which provides health-care to disabled Americans and those over 65.

In the interview, Bachmann also compared the nation of Greece to an errant and petulant teenager, and suggested other countries should not aid it in overcoming its present financial crisis.

“I certainly hope we’re not trying to figure out how to bail out Greece,” she said. “It’s just like if you have a child who’s a 16-year-old who’s overspending their money and they crack up the car and they end having to go to jail. The worst thing you could do as a parent is go and bail that child out of their own irresponsible behavior.”

The presidential candidate and Minnesota congresswoman said the European Union countries have “coddled” Greece by offering an aid package for the country that is dependent on large domestic spending cuts.

Bachmann also criticized in particular the announcement this week by the Greek president that he would seek a national referendum on the European Union’ bail-out package – a move that amplifies the political uncertainty surrounding the situation.

“Now Greece is such a tantrum-throwing nation that they’re going back to their own people with a vote so that the people can choose whether or not they want to have even an tiny level of austerity,” Bachmann said. “Well, of course they don’t. They want to keep spending money.”

Bachman also said Wednesday that the troubles facing Greece are a “precursor” to those facing the United States if the country does not address its national debt and deficit spending. In campaign appearances, she has called Greece the “trailer” to the upcoming “movie” of U.S. economic calamity.

Taking a question from a caller regarding raising taxes on the rich, Bachmann argued that increasing taxes would lead to “fewer jobs” and “more job losses” and blamed the current economic difficulties on a “poor environment for creating jobs” that would only be made worse by raising taxes.